Feed mixing apparatus



March 5, 1940. L" $M|TH 2,192,806

FEED MIXING APPARATUS Filed June 27, 1938 22 l9 z/ a 24 25 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to feed mixing machines and has for an object to provide a spray pipe for spraying molasses into feed mixtures prior to mixing, such spray pipe being formed in sections 5 so that it may be readily applied to and removed a fan-shaped stream and cover a larger side area than hitherto possible.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter .5 fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

: In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View, with parts in elevation, of the upper portion of a feed mixing machine having a spray pipe constructed in accordance with the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the spray pipe and nozzles shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the spray pipe and nozzle taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the spray pipe and nozzle taken on the line 44- of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar 'parts in the various views, l0 designates a mixing chamber of feed mixing apparatus, particularly of apparatus designed to spray molasses into feed preparatory to mixing. H designates the feed screw, 12 the casing of the feed screw, l3 the 0 driving shaft for the feed screw, and M the motor of such apparatus.

In carrying out the invention I provide an annular spray pipe l5 formed of a plurality of sections, for example two sections it and I! of substantially an arc of 180 degrees in length and having their ends coupled together by couplings l8. By forming the spray pipe in sections the spray pipe may be applied to and removed from the usual position at the top of the initial chamber ill and below the top of the casing l2 without dismantling the machine.

The spray pipe is provided with a plurality of nozzles each comprising a relatively small tube l9 which extends vertically from the spray pipe IS, the outer end portion of the tube being curved outwardly as shown at 2E3 and then directed as shown at El downwardly. The extreme end of the tube is flattened to provide an elongated discharge tip 22.

In practice, it is found after drip is prevented just by the general shape of the nozzle and second by the position of the nozzle in the machine.

The supply pipe 23 for the spray pipe is disposed outside of the mixing chamber ID and is provided at the upper end with an elbow 24 to which is secured a branch pipe 25 which enters a T-union 26 carried by one of the sections of the spray pipe, as best shown in Figure 1.

In operation the rotating feed screw I I continuously lifts portions of the dry feed materials vertically in the casing I2 and throws the same oif laterally from the top of the casing whereupon the materials will gravitate through the annular space between the casing 12 of the feed screw and the wall ID of the mixing chamber until it again reaches the bottom of the mixing chamber and is again picked up by the feed screw. Molasses or other liquid materials may be fed into the mixing chamber at the upper end thereof through the pipe 25, annular pipes l6 and I1 and upstanding nozzles i9 so that during the operation of mixing the dry feed materials, the molasses will be introduced thereto to fine sprays at equally spaced points at about the plane of the top of the feed screw casing I2, thus assuring uniform distribution of the molasses throughout the mass of dry feed. The sections l6 and I! of the spray apparatus may be disconnected at the couplings l8 and removed from the machine, when the machine is tobe used simply for dry mixing and may be set up again in position by simply screwing up the couplings it when it is desired to apply molasses to the mixture, without dismantling the machine,

What is claimed is:

In a feed mixing machine having a mixing chamber, an axially disposed upright feed screw in the mixing chamber and a casing for the feed screw open at its upper end; a removable attachment therefor comprising arcuate pipe sections, pipe couplings detachably connecting the ends of the sections together, said sections being disposed concentric with the feed screw casing and disposed adjacent the top of the casing outwardly of the latter within the mixing chamber, said sections being spaced from the casing and from the side wall of said chamber, a supply pipe for liquid connected to one or" the sections and pro jecting exteriorly of the mixing chamber removably through and supported by a wall of the chamber, and a pluralityof outlet nozzles rising from the sections, each nozzle comprising a rela tively small tube having an upper portion curved outwardly and downwardly and terminating outwardly of and above the sections in approximately the plane of the upper end of the casing.

CLARK L. SMITH. 

